This invention relates generally to safety equipment for construction sites and more particularly to a portable highway traffic monitor.
Construction workers working on roadways are in constant danger of being hit by misguided traffic. For example, non-attentive drivers may not see a flagman or warning signs in front of a roadside construction site. The driver's vehicle can then run between safety barriers and injure workers at the construction site. Because loud heavy machinery is often used around a construction site, workers cannot hear approaching vehicles. Thus, the construction worker is unaware of approaching vehicles until the vehicle is too close to avoid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,556 to Hall describes a traffic cone type device that activates a horn when knocked over. The horn in Hall, however, is integrally attached to the cone device. Because vehicular traffic often travels at high speeds, the device in Hall must be located well ahead of a construction site. For example, the device must be placed far enough in front of the construction site so that construction workers have ample time to avoid an approaching vehicle. Since the horn is located on the cone device, the horn is also located a significant distance from the construction site. With loud machinery, the distant sound from the horn is difficult to hear by construction workers.
The device in Hall is also fairly small. Thus, it is possible for a car to enter the construction zone without actually knocking over the safety device. Multiple devices would, therefore, have to be located in close proximity around the perimeter of the construction site for adequate safety protection. Multiple safety devices however would be expensive and time consuming to maintain. Further, since the safety device is self contained, it is subject to damage when run over by a vehicle. Thus, the device must be made from expensive impact resistent materials and parts must be constantly repaired or replaced each time the device is knocked over by a vehicle.
Accordingly, a need remains for a low cost traffic warning device that affectively monitors and indicates dangerous traffic conditions for wide areas around a construction site.